NEPA Scene Staff

Air Force’s Singing Sergeants perform free concert at Marywood University in Scranton on Feb. 22

Air Force’s Singing Sergeants perform free concert at Marywood University in Scranton on Feb. 22
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From a press release:

Marywood University’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Department will host the Singing Sergeants, the official chorus of the United States Air Force, for a free concert on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. in the Marian Chapel at the Swartz Center for Spiritual Life on the university’s campus in Scranton.

While the concert is free, tickets are required and can be obtained now via Eventbrite.

In addition to the free concert, the public is welcome to attend a master class on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. in the Marian Chapel. The Singing Sergeants will be working with the Marywood University Chamber Singers for the class. The Chamber Singers, the university’s top touring ensemble, are a select group of 20 to 24 members.

Stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., the Singing Sergeants is one of six musical ensembles that comprise the U.S. Air Force Band. Featuring 23 active duty airmen musicians, the group presents more than 200 performances annually, performing a wide range of musical styles, from traditional Americana, opera, and choral standards to modern Broadway and jazz. The Singing Sergeants regularly perform with their instrumental combo and in smaller configurations, such as duets, barbershop quartets, and specialized musical ensembles at military and civilian ceremonial and diplomatic functions, education outreach events, and local concerts throughout metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Originally formed as a men’s chorus in 1945 from the rank and file of the U.S. Army Air Forces Band, the Singing Sergeants became the first premier military chorus to integrate women in 1973. Today, the group’s members often perform for the Department of Defense and other high-level military and civilian functions, using music to bridge language and cultural differences and helping advance positive diplomatic relations through song. The chorus is regularly featured at regional and national music education conferences, including the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, and Chorus America. At varied venues, the Singing Sergeants reach a diverse audience with the beauty and power of music. Their 2018 annual tour is traveling through Pennsylvania and Delaware.

For additional information about the master class or concert at Marywood University (2300 Adams Ave., Scranton), contact Rick Hoffenberg, D.M.A., associate professor of choral conducting at Marywood, at rhoffenberg@marywood.edu or call 570-348-6268.